Steering wheel



H. A. HUSTED STEERING WHEEL Jan. 20, 1931.

s Sheets-She 1 Original Filed Jan. '7, 1929 7 INVENTOR 34 z 1 1 BY 14 47 ATTO Jan. 20, "1931;

STEERING WHEEL Origmal'Filed Jan. 7. 1929 a Sheets-sheaf: 2

INVENTOR ATTORN EYS H. A. HUE;TED 1,789,817

H. A. HUSTED 1,789,817

STEERING WHEEL Jan. 20, 1931.

Original Filed Jan. 7, 1929 s Shets-Sheet s ATTORNEY I V HARRY-A. HUSITED, OF'CIiEVELAJND,-OHIO, ASSIGNORTO THE-H. :A'. nns'rnn COMPANY,

Patented Jan. 20, 1931' UNITED STATES on DETROIT, MICHIGAN, :A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN-7 STEERING WHEEL ori inal application med January 7, "1929, Serial no. 330,781. Divided and this application filea'aan'uary V "so, 1930. Serial No.'424;4s4. r

This invention relates to steering wheels,

particularly to steering wheels of the rein-' forced composition material type,faii'd is a division of my copendingapplication Serial No. 330,781 filed January 7,1929, 1 I

One ofth'e objects ofthe-present invention is'to providea reinforced composition steering wheel which "is extremely rigid in construction and neat'in'appeara-nce'. 7

Another object is toprovide a composition steering wheel with a reinforcing spider which is provided with'means-disposedat its hub portion for preventing-distortion of the spider during the moldingprocess; V

A further object is't'o provide acomp'osition steering wheel having a reinforcing spider provided with corrugations" the spokes extending radially from thehub portion thereof, with means bridging the corrugations in the hub portion to preventdistortion of the same during the operation "of molding the rubber the'rearound.

These being among-the objects-ofthe present invention, the sameconsistsof certain 3 featuresof construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed, havingthe above and othero'bjects in view. J p V In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the present invention:

Figurel is a-plan vieW'of 'theimetalreinforcing spider;

Fig. 2 is a section of the spidertake'n on v the line 2-2 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section throughthe spider rim taken on'the line 3 3 of Fig.

Fig. l is an enlarged sectiorithroughbne of the spider spokesta'ken in the line [-4of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of the reinforcing spider showing the hub plate; V

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentaryfsectional view of the hub portion ofthereinforcing spider;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged'fragmentary plan view of the lower side of the-'spiderhub showing the hub plate positioned thereon;

Fig.8 is a section'through the forming molds 'showln'g the composition material compressed around the reinforcing spider;

and

"Fig. 9 is a plan view of the lowersec'tion of the forming mold. V

In my copending application'filed Febru- 'a ry'll, 1927 and serially numberedd67387,

a steering wheel is "described and claimed which comprises a single piece reinforcing spider around which a 'composition'material is moldedand bonded 'toall surfacesthereo'f. The reinforcing spider-is preferably formed from a single metal; plate to provide integral rim, spoke and hub portions, which are suit- 1 ably flanged, channeled and beadedto provlde substantially uniform strength-throughout everyportion'of the wheel, so thatin the i u t a i V eventof a serious wreck, the 'dllVelfif the vehicle will not be seriously injured by the breakage o'f the-steering wheel.

In this spider,the spokes are-provided with longitudinal depressions which extend throughthe hub to the centralopeningtherein. It has been found that when the 'composition material is molded around the-spider, the spider hub is distorted by the pressure exerted in bringing the mold sectionstogether to compress the composition material; This distortion of-the' hub is producedbyltheten dency 'o'fth'e metal forming the depressions in the'hub'to flattenout and assume a'plane surface under the influence ofthe molding pressure. Distortion of the reinforcing.

spider during the 'molding process isvery."

objectionable and'produces inferior-wheels which-are unsuitable for general use, aswill beapparent to those skilled in the art.

oMy'copendingapplication Seri-alNo. 167,-

387 contains'claims generic to' the spider structure shown herein and. to be hereinafter described. I

The present invention-aims to provide a composition steeringwheel whereby the rein-1 forcing spider is prevented from being distorteddur'lng the moldingof'the composition materialaround the same.

Referring to" the accompanying drawings in which hke numeralsrefertollke parts throughouttheseveral views, the reinforcing extending flanges 6 along the inner edges thereof and'a continuous u wardl extendin head 7 formed in the web thereof interc L mediate the flames 5 and 6. As shown in F 3, the outer flange 5 is stepped in relation to the inner flanges '6, and this cross sectional shape provides the rim 8 with spaced upwardly presenting channels 8 and 9 and a downwardly presenting depressionlO. The hub 1 of the spider as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is formed with upwardlyprojecting flanges 11 around the outer edges thereof and with a large central opening 12.

The spokes 20f the spider, like the rim 3, are preferably formed with upwardly projecting side flanges 13 and an upwardly extending longitudinal bead 1 lint-e the flanges 13, the side 3 being continuous with hub fl Lu. w 1283 rim inner flan es 6 and the lon itudinal beads 14 being continuous with the bead of e as shown in Fig. 4, may be described oein W-shaped, and having spaced upwardly presenting channels 15 branching into the rim channel 9 and a lower downwardly presenting depression 16 continuous with the rim depression 10. Th beads 14 of the spokes 2 caused by the formation of the depressions 16 therein, extend through the hub portion and terminate at the central hub opening 12. The spider is in this way uniformly strengthsued by the continuous flanges and beads.

An annular plate 17 is seated against the lower face-of the .hub portion 1 of the spider substantially as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 that it bridges the spoke depressions 16 which extend through the hubto the central opening 12 thereof. This plate 17 then is preferably spot welded to the hub 1 at points adjacent the sides of the spoke beads 14 substantially as indicated by the weld marks 18 in Fig. 5. It is to be understood, however, that the plate 17 may be secured to the hub 1 by rivets or any other suitable means. The plate 17 is formed with a series of openings 19 which are axially in line with the openings l in the hub through which the hub securing screws may extend. These openings 19 are preferably formed after the plate 17 is welded or otherwise secured in place. The plate 17 has a secondary purpose of providing a greater thickness of metal for the hub securing screws. The primary purpose of the plate 17, however, is to provide meansfor bridging the depressions 16 in the hub 1 to prevent distortion of the hub during the operation of forming the composition material around the spider. he function of this plate will be more fully described later in the specification.

The steering wheel is formed, as previously mentioned,"by compressing and bonding a composition material around the reinforcing spider. The characteristics of the composition material are preferably such that the material will flow or be rendered workable when subjected toheat' and pressure. The forming of the composition material around the spider is accomplished by the use of a heatedinold which is adapted to cor press the material around and bond or vulcanize the same to the spider. One embodiment of this mold is shown in Figs. '8 and Sand comprises-lower and upper mold sections 20 and 21 respectively. Each mold section is formed with continuous hub, spoke and rim depressions 23, 22 and 24, respectively, which, when the sections are brought together in closed relationship form cavities conforming in shape to theshape of the finished wheel. The lower mold section is provided with large diametrically opposite, upwardly extending dowel pins 25 adapted to register with open lugs 26 in the upper mold section 21 and prevent displacement of one section relative to the other. The lower mold section 20 is also provided with a central registering plug 27 which forms the wall of the hub cavity, and in addition centers the spider when it is positioned within the mold cavity. The registering plug, 27 has an annular flange 28 which is provided with a plurality of circularly arranged pins 29 which extend upwardly into the hub cavity of this mold and project through the hub openings 1 and 19 of the spider and ring 17 to prevent the composition material from closing in the openings 4 and to prevent rotational movement of the spider relative to the mold sections so that the same is positioned correctly within the mold cavity.

Composition material elements are first positioned within the hub, spoke and rim depressions 23, 22 and 24 respectively of the lower mold section 20, and the reinforcing spider is then positioned on these elements with the pins 29 extending through the hub and reinforcing plate openings 4; and 19. Component composition material elements are next seated upon the hub, spokes and rim of the spider, and the upper mold section 21 is finally assembled to the lower section 20. The mold sections being held at a temperature suitable for vulcanizing or bonding the composition material to the spider, are moved toward each other preferably by hydraulic pressure to compress the composition material so that it completely fills the mold cavities and intimately contacts with the surfaces of the spider. The sections are left in closed position a suflicient length of time to permit the Composition material to become vulcanized or bonded to the surfaces of the spider. A great portion of the gases produced during the molding of the composition material flow along the depressions 16 and channels 15 of the spider spokes 2 and are liberated adjacent to the registering plug 27 at the central hub opening 12.

Considerable pressure is exerted by the mold sections to compress the composition material and it is apparent that this pressuretends to flatten out the beads 14 which would distort the spider if the plate 1? were not employed. This would result in an inferior product. Vith applicants structure this cannot happen because the plate 17 is rigidly attached to the hub of the spider on each side of and bridges the depressions 16. This plate 17 therefore provides a spider hub 1 in which pressures exerted against the beads 14 do not distort the same. It can be easily seen by one skilled in the art that this feature presents many advantages.

It will be apparent from the drawings and foregoing description that the present invention provides a composition steering wheel which satisfactorily eliminates objectionable distortion of the wheel spider during the molding operation. Further, that the means provided for restraining the spider against distortion adds very little to the weight and cost of making the Wheel, and greatly strengthens the same.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the sections of the reinforcing spider shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and that various modifications of said spider and procedure can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is:

.1. In a composition steering wheel, a re-' inforcing spider therefor, a hub portion for said spider having radial depressions therein, a composition material molded around said spider, and an annular plate rigidly secured to said hub portion to bridge said depressions whereby said hub is restrained against distortion during the process of molding said composition material around said spider under pressure.

2. In a composition steering wheel, a onepiece reinforcing spider having integral rim, spoke and hub portions, said hub portions being formed with depressions radiating into said spoke portions, a composition material covering completely surrounding said rim, spoke and hub portions, and an annular plate rigidly secured to said hub at points adjacent to said depressions for restraining said hub portion against distortion during the forming of said compositionmaterial around said spiderunder pressure.

3. In a composition steering wheel, a hub annulus embedded in the hub of said wheel, spokes embedded in the spokes of said wheel and being integral with said hub annulus, said spokes having longitudinal depressions therein extending across said hub annulus to the central opening thereof, and an annular HARRY A. I-IUS TED. 

